£5,000 pay rise for Blair

Prime Minister Tony Blair is to get a £5,010 pay rise as a result of the latest senior salaries review, it was announced today.

Mr Blair - whose salary will rise from £178,922 to £183,932 - said ministers and MPs will receive a pre-election pay rise of 2.8%, going up automatically in line with senior civil servants' salaries.

In a written Commons statement, the Prime Minister said that the Government had accepted in full the recommendations of the Senior Salaries Review Body, which would be implemented from April 1.

Mr Blair's new package includes his basic MP's salary which goes up from £57,485 to £59,095.

The rest of the Cabinet will see their total pay increase from £130,347 to £133,997, including their MP's salary.

The review body also recommended a 2.5% increase in the pay scales for senior military officers and a 3% rise for judges.

Britain's servicemen and women will get 3%.

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said there will be a 5% increase in the longer separated service allowance and the longer service at sea bonus, which are intended to compensate personnel facing extended periods away from their families.

There will also be increases to the specialist pay for the likes of air crew, submariners and divers.